David Beckham’s Supplement Brand IM8 Bets on Science-Backed Wellness
Backed by Beckham as co-founder, IM8 is taking strides to position itself as a science-first supplement company rather than a celebrity brand
IM8, a new health and wellness supplement company co-founded by David Beckham, won’t be counting on its affiliation with the former soccer star to sell pills and powders – at least, that’s not the only marketing tactic the brand will use.
Co-founded by Beckham and Danny Yeung, the CEO of health science company Prenetics, IM8 officially launched in November. The company sells two products: Daily Ultimate Essentials, a supplement powder that acts as a multivitamin, probiotic and more all wrapped into one, and Daily Ultimate Longevity, an anti-aging pill.
As it looks to take over the crowded supplement space, IM8 is leaning into science-backed wellness, seeking to position itself as the most effective – and safe – supplement product on the market.
At a launch event held Tuesday in New York City, Beckham and other IM8 stakeholders touted the fact that IM8 has been Certified for Sport by NSF, a not-for-profit organization that tests supplements for harmful substances. They also pointed to the brand’s scientific advisory board, a group of six doctors, researchers and scientists who’ve informed IM8 on product design.
“This wouldn’t work if it was a celebrity brand, because people see through that,” Beckham said during the event. “It’s all about the product.”
The Only Daily Supplement You’ll Need?
IM8’s flagship product, Daily Ultimate Essentials, is priced at $79 for a monthly subscription and $99 for a one-time purchase of 30 servings. The product contains vitamins and minerals, probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics, along with ingredients designed to support an array of positive health outcomes like energy, cognitive function, gut health and hydration.
According to IM8, Daily Ultimate Essentials replaces the need for 16 daily supplements and provides 92 ingredients in total.
Speaking during the launch event, IM8 scientific advisory board members touted the brand’s use of clinical research, quality ingredients and cutting-edge science as reasons consumers should believe IM8’s pitch that it offers a safe, effective daily supplement.
“It feels so good knowing that we’re creating this supplement that’s safe, a supplement that we know doesn’t have heavy metals, microplastics (and) aflatoxins,” said Dr. Dawn Mussallem, an integrative oncologist at Mayo Clinic and a member of IM8’s advisory board. “That’s something no one talks about: the safety, the purity, the consistency and the dosing.”
IM8’s biggest competitor figures to be AG1, a popular supplement brand that also sells a daily all-in-one powder.
Compared to AG1, IM8 skews more science-heavy in its marketing approach. IM8’s website features numerous testimonials from doctors, scientists and nutritionists, along with a healthy dose of Beckham. The former Manchester United star features prominently in the brand’s social media feed and is all over IM8’s website, starring in videos where he states his belief in the brand and one where he shares a recipe for a healthy smoothie containing IM8.
Beckham’s Supplement Pitch
On Tuesday, Beckham said part of the reason he wanted to create IM8 was to give people an all-in-one option for supplementation, citing his own struggles with having to take too many products for optimal health.
“I’ve been taking supplements for many years, and I walk into the store and I’m confused,” he said. “I don’t know what to buy; there are so many products out there..”
IM8’s all-in-one formula is designed to eliminate that problem for consumers by combining a multivitamin, probiotic, hydration supplement and more into one product. It’s also designed to eliminate the other major complaint people tend to have with supplements: do they actually work?
“I want to bring something into this world where I had that instant feeling – and I’m not saying the next morning I’m going to feel great – but I want to feel a difference, and I want to feel a difference in a week, or I want to feel different in a month,” Beckham said.
Beckham is confident IM8 will hit that mark for consumers around the world, citing his own experience so far taking the supplement.
“I’ve been taking it for the last six months …. and I know what my improvements have been,” he said. “I physically feel it. My focus is better; my energy is better; I feel fresher; I’m sleeping better; my gut is great, all of those things.”